ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2023
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Прп. София Суздальская Пророк Аггей Императрица Феофания Византийская
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Old Style
December 16
Friday
New Style
December 29
30th Week after Pentecost. Tone 4.
Nativity Fast.
Monastic rule: cooked food, no oil.

Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомProphet Haggai (Aggaeus) (500 b.c.).

Martyr Marinus of Rome (283). Blessed Empress Theophania, wife of Byzantine Emperor Leo the Wise (893). St. Sophia of Suzdal, nun (in the world Solomonia), wife of Grand Duke Basil III of Moscow (1542). St. John (Rastorguyev) the Barefoot, fool-for-Christ, of Kiev (1849).

New Hieromartyr Vladimir Alexeyev, priest, of Okhansk (1918). New Hieromartyr Arcadius (Ostalsky), bishop of Bezhetsk (1937).

Martyr Albina of Caesarea (250). St. Memnon, archbishop of Ephesus (ca. 440). St. Modestus II, patriarch of Jerusalem (634). St. Nicholas Chrysoberges, patriarch of Constantinople (995).

Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse

St. Theophan the Recluse

Friday. [Heb. 11:8, 11-16; Mark 9:33-41]

   The Saviour sets forth a child as a model of faith and life. Simplicity of faith gives birth to simplicity of life; from both of these comes a model moral system. Let philosophizing in here, and it will make disorder within; under the appearance of better arranging affairs, it will throw one’s entire life into disorder. Philosophizing always cries, “This is not so, that is not so; let me establish everything in a new way; the old is worthless, boring.” But it has never yet, in any place, arranged anything good; it only throws things into confusion. The mind should obey what is commanded by the Lord. True, the mind is called “the tsar in the head”; however, this tsar is not given legislative power—only executive power. As soon as it starts making laws, it constructs it knows not what. Moral, religious, worldly, and political orders are thrown into confusion, and everything goes upside down. It is a great misfortune for society when the mind in it is given freedom to soar, with no restraint by Divine truth! This is God’s wrath. About it is said, hide thyself a little for a moment, until the indignation pass away (Isaiah 26:20) During this apogee of mental self-wilfulness it is best to wrap oneself in simplicity of faith. Just as during a storm it is better to sit at home and not step out to fight self-assuredly with it, so during stormy self-mindedness it is better not to step out into battle with it, or to seize the weapon of philosophizing, or resist it. Simplicity of faith is stronger than philosophizing; clothe yourself in it, like in armour, and you will withstand.

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